. >>> when president obama visited south africa this past summer, he brought his family to robin island to see the cell where nelson mandela had been imprisoned by the apartheid regime for so many years. because mr. mandela had been so ill this year, president obama did not personally visit with him while he was on that trip to south africa. in fact, this is interesting. the only time the two men apparently ever met in person was in 2005 in washington, when mr. obama was just starting his career in the united states senate. "the new york times" reports that the one visit started when mr. mandela's advisers told him, while he was on a trip to washington, that while he was there, he ought to take a little bit of time to try to meet this rising star young senator who had given such a great speech at the democratic national convention the year before. and so senator obama got the call, unexpectedly. he was on his way to meeting on a totally different subject at the time, but he diverted course in washington and drove to mr. mandela's hotel room in washington. and that is where this picture